Stock up on cat swag

New York has no shortage of places to find cool cat-themed clothing and accessories. The Brooklyn-based Cat Coven has t-shirts, patches, keychains, and even cat toys. Be sure to check out the seasonal BUST Craftacular, where you can find prints, pins, and more. If you missed the winter holiday show, you can come back and check out the next one in May.

Visit all of the cat cafes

A delightful Japanese concept has started to take root in the United States. New York City in particular has quite a few cat cafes, where you can sip coffee while lounging around cute kitties. The best part? Many feature adoptable cats! So if you fall in love with a special feline, there’s a chance you can take them home. How’s that for a souvenir!

Visit all of the shopkeeper cats

New York’s shops and bodegas are home to many a friendly cat. Serving as unofficial mascots and greeters, these kitties are often quite social and used to the company of people. Need a guide? The book, Shop Cats of New York, will steer you in the right direction. While I personally used to stop in an see Keetah regularly, I’m very sad that both she and Bleecker Street Records belong to the ages. Late at night, I still get to see Allegra in the window at C.O. Bigelow, though!

While you’re out on your big city adventures, feel free to share with us any interesting cats you may find. To keep up with all of the latest cat-happenings in the city, follow us on Facebook.

—Candace Elise Hoes is a pet sitter and blogger at Katie’s Kitty. She is a graduate of the MFA Writing Program at California College of the Arts.